


Care

by writesometimes



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Developing Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, aleck plays nursemaid, general descriptions of injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-07-22 02:22:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7415575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writesometimes/pseuds/writesometimes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jacob finds himself in need of medical assistance after a run in with the Blighters</p>
            </blockquote>





	Care

Jacob pulled himself from the cold water of the Thames very carefully. While trying to sabotage some of the Blighters’ contraband he found himself stabbed and tossed into the river. Blood soaked his right side just above his belt. Being wet in the cold evening air with a stab wound was literal hell.

He could barely stand, let alone walk. _‘I’ve got to get to shelter'_ Jacob panicked internally. He slumped forward onto some crates, clutching his side while his vision blurred. Taking a deep breath he stood straight and looked about to get his bearings. He was in Lambeth. He knew where he could go, he just had to make it. 

Stumbling through the streets made Jacob feel exposed. Normally he would be jumping from rooftop to rooftop, coasting about on his rope launcher. Down on the streets there were so many people, carriages clogging the pathways, so much noise. It was difficult for him to keep his wits about him. 

The pain in his side burned with every step. _'A few more blocks. You can make it, Jacob’_ he coaxed himself on. A child ran into him and he cried out loudly. A crowd turned and looked, but no one offered any assistance. _'Thanks a lot’_ Jacob groused. 

Finally, he saw the familiar flat come into view. He felt a second wind with the knowledge he would soon at least be warmer. He knocked loudly at the door and prayed the man was in. 

“Jacob! How wonderful to see you! Would you like to come in for dinner? I’ve just finished cooking a…” before Aleck could finish Jacob fell forward right into his chest. 

“Aleck, I’m afraid I’m not hungry. I’m in need of medical care,” Jacob rasped through gritted teeth. 

Aleck looked, wide eyed, down at the man slumped on his chest. He quickly wrapped his arms around Jacob and ushered him into the house. “What’s wrong?” Aleck sounded incredibly nervous despite his best efforts. 

“Stabbed, right side,” Jacob grunted. Aleck’s heart leapt into his throat. How was he supposed to fix this? His first thought that he needed to get Jacob lying down before he fell down and check the wound. He steered the other man to the large window seat in his workshop. 

Jacob clung to Aleck for dear life. When he was quickly deposited on a flat surface, he reached forward blindly trying to find Aleck again.

“I’m right here, Jacob. Lie back so I may inspect the wound.” He began gently pushing at Jacob’s broad shoulders to get the other man to lie back again. The assassin laid himself back grabbing at the hem of his shirt to try and help Aleck locate the wound. 

Aleck grabbed the other man’s hands and shushed him. He lifted the shirt himself to see how bad the damage was. He gasped when he finally caught sight of it. 

Blood stained much of the area and Aleck could tell it would require some stitches. His eyes scanned Jacob’s form for any other wounds. He was going to have to remove Jacob’s coat, shirt, and all of his assassin gear. That was going to require some cooperation from him. 

“Jacob. Jacob. Look at me” he pleaded, “I’m going to have to stitch this up. I’ll be right back. I have to fetch my supplies.”

“Whiskey”

“What?”

“Whiskey. Bring whiskey.”

Aleck nodded and headed out. Jacob raised his head to take a peak at the wound in his side. He groaned when all he could see was blood covering most of his torso. Aleck returned shortly, looking white as a sheet. 

“Are you sure you can do this?” Jacob slurred. 

“Ah, yes. I’ve had to stitch myself up a few times when some experiments have gone awry,” he replied nervously. He thrust a small bottle of whiskey into Jacob’s hand. 

The assassin took a large swig of the honey-colored liquid and grit his teeth as the liquid burned down his throat. Jacob chuckled grimly and nodded to the other man, giving him the go-ahead to begin. 

“I’ll need to remove your shirt and coat and your, uhm, gear,” Aleck mumbled. Jacob grunted and reached out looking for some support to sit up. Aleck grabbed his hand at once. He hoisted the large man into a sitting position and propped him up against the wall. 

“All right. If you can get your bracer off I think I can handle the rest,” the inventor swallowed dryly. Jacob simply went to work removing his bracer, Aleck making quick work of the man’s numerous buttons. 

When he finally got them all undone and Jacob’s shirt was removed Aleck drew in a quick breath. He immediately caught sight of a tattoo near the man’s collarbone. He stared in near disbelief at the black raven so artfully painted against Jacob’s white skin. 

He was reaching out slowly to caress the dark bird when the loud 'thunk’ of Jacob’s bracer hitting the floor brought him back into the moment.  
Jacob caught him, starring and mouth hanging open, at his tattoo. “I promise, I’ll tell you about it when I’m not about to bleed to death,” Aleck looked away sheepishly and muttered an apology. 

Aleck laid the other man back down and sat on the edge of the window seat, placing his small first-aid kit in his lap. He began readying some cloths with antiseptic.

“Okay, Doc, give it to me,” Jacob whispered, taking another swig of the whiskey. Aleck nodded and began wiping the wound down. 

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” Jacob swore loudly. Aleck pulled his hands away immediately. 

“I’m sorry,” he murmured more to himself than to Jacob. After a moment he began to clean the wound again. Aleck could finally see the gash properly. Although wide, it wasn’t overly deep. “Well I should be able to handle this,” he reassured the assassin laid out in front of him. He began threading the needle, hands shaking.

“Wait…” Jacob held out the bottle of whiskey to Aleck, “To steady your hands.” Aleck took the bottle and gulped down quite a bit of the liquid. “Atta boy,” Jacob soothed.

Aleck began slowly stitching Jacob’s side back together. The first three stitches made Aleck’s stomach turn. He was used to stitching up his own small cuts on his hands, but stitching up Jacob’s stab wound was another thing all together. It wasn’t just the larger size of the cut, but knowing this wasn’t some accident. Jacob was, more than likely, lucky to have made it out with just a cut in his side. 

Despite the whiskey Aleck’s hands began to shake once more. Jacob gently placed his hands over Aleck’s. “I trust you,” he confessed.

The Scotsman looked him in the eyes. He could see nothing but honesty on the other man’s face. It made him nervous in an entirely different way and he began chewing his bottom lip. Jacob removed his hands and Aleck resumed the stitching. 

After the twelfth stitch Aleck was able to tie the string off and be done. He applied more antiseptic and then wrapped quite a few bandages around the man’s midsection. 

“There you go, good as new!” Aleck beamed. He patted Jacob’s arm reassuringly. He looked up and saw a lop-sided smile on Jacob’s face.

Jacob reached up to grab Aleck’s hand and brought it to his lips. “I knew I could trust you,” he mumbled against Aleck’s knuckles. The inventor smiled shyly back at him. Aleck’s heart felt like it was trying to escape his rib cage. 

“Here…” Jacob whispered as he moved their hands to his chest and laid Aleck’s hand over his tattoo. Aleck’s ears felt as if they were on fire. “It’s a raven,” Jacob giggled.

Aleck wasn’t sure if all of this was entirely proper. After all, Jacob was freshly injured and had just drank quite a bit of whiskey.

Sensing Aleck’s apprehension, Jacob pressed his hand more firmly on his chest. “It’s okay.” Aleck traced the outline of the bird with his index finger, transfixed. 

“Did it hurt?” he breathed. 

“It didn’t tickle,” Jacob chuckled in response. The sly grin on his face made Aleck let out a bark of laughter. 

“When…”

“I was 17.”

“It’s lovely.”

Aleck continued tracing the raven and Jacob shut his eyes. “So soothing” he purred at Aleck, “You’re the best nurse in all of London.” When there was no reply, Jacob peaked at Aleck and saw the man turning a violent shade of red.  

“I don’t know about that” Aleck stuttered, “You _will_ have to lie low for a few days. Wouldn’t want to pull all those stitches out.”

“No, that would be dreadful,” Jacob agreed. “If only I had some place I could stay. Somewhere I could get reliable care for the next few days while I heal.”

“Oh, you mean Evie won’t dote on you night and day in your state?” Aleck teased.

“More like remind me how foolish I was being,” Jacob laughed carefully, trying not to agitate his stitches.

Aleck stopped tracing the tattoo and laid his palm flat over it. “Stay here. I’ve got plenty of space and food. And the company wouldn’t kill me.”

Jacob hummed contentedly. “That sounds lovely. Didn’t you mention something about dinner when I fell onto your doorstep?”

Aleck huffed a laugh. “Yes, I did. I made a roast.”

“Sounds lovely,” Jacob said as he reached up to cover Aleck’s hand on his chest.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [tumblr](http://imwritesometimes.tumblr.com/) :D
> 
> kudos make my day ♥


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